LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's tennis team recorded its first Western Athletic Conference win as they defeated the Seattle U Redhawks 5-2 on Saturday at the NMSU Tennis Center.
 
The Vaqueros (9-12, 1-2 WAC) fell behind early in the match as they dropped the doubles point. Junior Juan Cruz Soria and sophomore Koby Jansen recorded a 6-2 win over Tanner Berkabile and Matt Alderson on court one but the Redhawks won on courts two and three to clinch the point.
 
The Vaqueros responded in singles as they took five of the six matches. Soria won 7-5, 6-1 over Ian Clarke on court one and then sophomore Ethan Ammon bounced back after dropping the first set to Berkabile with a 7-6 win in the second to force a third set. Ammon won 6-4 in the third to take the point on court two as he snapped a five-match losing streak.
 
Jansen added to the Vaqueros lead with a 6-1, 6-1 win over John Stormans on court three. Freshman Yehonatan Kaufman snapped a seven-match losing streak as he defeated Michael Schoettler on court four. He opened with a 6-3 win in the first set and then dropped the second 3-6 to force a third where he won 6-2 for the point.
 
Sophomore Elliot Johnstone closed out the scoring for UTRGV as he defeated Connor Leahy on court five 6-2, 7-5. The Redhawks (8-13, 0-3 WAC) got their lone point on court six.
 
The Vaqueros will be back in action on April 8 when they travel to Kansas City to face Chicago State in the second WAC cluster of the season.
 
Complete Results:
Singles
1. Juan Cruz Soria (UTRGV) def. Ian Clarke (SU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Ethan Ammon (UTRGV) def. Tanner Berkabile (SU) 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4
3. Koby Jansen (UTRGV) def. John Stormans (SU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Yehonatan Kaufman (UTRGV) def. Michael Schoettler (SU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
5. Elliot Johnstone (UTRGV) def. Connor Leahy (SU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Matt Alderson (SU) def. Cosme Jubera (UTRGV) 6-3, 7-5
 
Doubles
1. Juan Cruz Soria/Koby Jansen (UTRGV) def. Tanner Berkabile/Matt Alderson (SU) 6-2
2. John Stormans/Connor Leahy (SU) def. Andres Hernandez/Elliot Johnstone (UTRGV) 7-6 (6)
3. Ian Clarke/Michael Schoettler (SU) def. Yehonatan Kaufman/Cosme Jubera (UTRGV) 6-2

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